Camel hoops slated to play in Buckeye Classic

Campbell men's basketball head coach Kevin McGeehan announced last week Campbell will participate in the Buckeye Classic exempt event early on in the 2014-15 basketball season.

Jointly hosted by Ohio State and James Madison, the event also includes Colgate and Sacred Heart. Campbell will play one home game - versus Colgate on Nov. 22 - followed by three road contests.

The Camels will host Colgate for the first time a Patriot League member plays at Gore Arena, which opened in Nov. 2008.

The Camels will travel to Ohio St. on Nov. 26,to Sacred Heart on Nov. 30 and to James Madison on Dec. 2.

“The Buckeye Classic is a great opportunity for us to play high-level competition, including one of the best teams in the country in Ohio State,” said McGeehan, who is entering his second year in charge of the Fighting Camels.

“Coach Thad Matta has done an amazing job of developing the Buckeyes into a perennial top-10 program. We are honored to go there and compete. Coupled with the opportunity to play James Madison, a 2013 NCAA tournament team, Sacred Heart and the chance to host a very good Colgate program, we will have a very good early read on where we are as a program," McGeehan said.

James Madison is the lone school in the Buckeye Classic field Campbell has faced previously, although the Camels and Dukes have not squared off since the 1983-84 campaign.

Over the previous four seasons in exempt events, Campbell has won at Auburn (61-54 on Nov. 20, 2010) and Iowa (77-61 on Nov. 23, 2011). Last season, the Camels journeyed to and lost to N.C. State and Cincinnati in the Global Sports Shootout.

Campbell’s remaining non-conference slate as well as the 2014-15 Big South Conference schedule will be released in the near future. Season ticket sales for the 2014-15 Campbell men's basketball season begin on Aug. 1. Call (910) 893-1459 or email tickets@gocamels.com for more information.